Blade of Sorrow Remastered
by Ghost501
Summary: It's been a year since she's been out of Tartarus. It's been a year since she's had to live without him. How much will Annabeth be able to take before she's forced to remember the one event that she's tried so hard to forget.
1. Chapter 1

Hey Everyone! It's Ghost501, but you already knew that since you can see that author's name! Yes, I'm re-mastering material. What this means is that I'm pretty much doing intensive surgery to the following stories: _Blade of Sorrow, Blade of Vengeance, Breaking Inside, _and _Mending Inside_. (Yes, after review…I realized that my timing on _Telling Her_ is completely off and I've decided to make it its own one shot and revoke its involvement in the Blade Ark. So, that will remain as posted.)

Why am I deciding to them now? Well, I was re-reading Blade of Sorrow and I realized that I was missing out on several opportunities. So, I decided to give them the credit they deserved (these arks are my most popular stories on Fanfiction) them. Now, you may see chapters that were originally in the old versions, however, I assure you that you will be reading new materials.

Since this is a remastered version, I have decided to keep the original on my profile. You can check them out to compare, but for new timers, I suggest waiting 'til the end of the story to avoid spoilers, etc. Now, for spoilers sake, please don't mention anything that has happened in the past with these ark. These are re-mastered stories, which mean I'm not necessarily redoing the plot, but just making it better (more emotional and intense…).

I want this to be a new experience for new readers and a fresh new start for old. Also, yes I know this doesn't coincide with what happens in _House of Hades_. But the Blade Ark and the Break Ark were written before that and so I'll not be paying any much attention to that book for the mentioned stories, a few glimpses into it but nothing major.

So, without further ado, thanks for reading and here's Blade of Sorrow Remastered.

* * *

As Annabeth walked through Camp Half Blood, she could literally feel the stares. Those who knew her tale sent her looks of pity. Those who didn't were warned not to look at her…she barely tolerated the pity of her friends. Why would she accept that of a strangers? No, she was too strong for that.

She knew the little ones in her Monster Fighting class were especially confused. Annabeth had never missed a day; but for some unknown reason, she had Clarisse cover her class for the whole week. Despite her attempts to avoid most of the campers, some of them had still managed to find her. Annabeth felt some guilt over her attitude for the first week. Many people tried to cheer her up. They reminded her it was her birthday month and that she should be glad. Even her class had made homemade gifts for her in their Crafts class before she took her leave. She still wore the little bracelet that Ebony had given her.

However, Annabeth wasn't looking for anyone to confide in. She wasn't looking for take her grief. She snapped at everyone who tried to console her, with the exception of those in her class—they were too young and innocent to understand her grief.

Everyone tried to make her believe that everything was okay. To Hades with that ideology. Nothing was alright. Not to her. Not at this time of the year. Despite her 18th birthday coming around the corner, she couldn't find a reason to be joyful. Of course, she was normally apologetic to those who only tried to wish her well after she had cooled off, but no one could take away the hurt she felt. The only one who could do that was gone.

Annabeth stalked towards Chiron's office. She needed to get out of here. Away from the memories. Despite this being his home away from home, their home, she didn't feel close to him here. Surprisingly, she felt even farther away from him in Camp Half Blood than she did anywhere else. It was almost as if his presence her was so suffocating that she was forced to distance herself away from him She could never wrap her brain around it, but then again, she tried not to dwell on the topic too much.

Chiron answered the door on the first knock. His office was as clean as ever. However, as he noticed just who it was, he quickly attempted to put away a photo that sat on his desk. Annabeth already knew whose picture it was. It was one of the only pictures he kept on it.

"No…it's okay. I'm only going to be here for a bit." She said softly.

Chiron put back the photo on his desk. Despite only seeing a small fraction of the picture, her brain filled in the rest of the blanks. They had been so happy that day. Why did it have to end this way?

"What can I help you with today, Annabeth?" Chiron said.

"Can I leave camp…just for a couple of days? I'm sorry it's so late notice. I just can't stay here right now. It's…"

"Child, take all the time you need."

"Thank you." She moved to leave before her old mentor, who was practically her second father, spoke again.

"We all miss him."

"Mhm." Was all she said as she left Chiron in his office.

* * *

She closed the door behind her and walked back to her cabin to pack her stuff. She didn't need much, just a change of clothes, her cell phone, and her sword. Despite missing her knife, she had grown used to the Drakon-bone blade. Most mortals saw the deadly weapon as nothing more than a blueprint. How the Mist managed to do that, she had no idea; but nonetheless, she was grateful for it.

Before leaving, she grabbed a spray bottle and a drachma. She had one call to make before she left. Within minutes, the face of Sally Jackson appeared. She appeared to be busy trying to make dinner for this evening.

"Ms. Jackson?" Annabeth said, unfortunately she had startled the poor woman.

"Wha?" she said, as she barely recovered the pot of food that was in her hands. As she set it down on the countertop, she turned her head and realized that Annabeth, well at least her face had appeared in front of her, "Goodness, Annabeth, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"How are you? I mean, when was the last time we talked. Last Christmas?"

"Yeah…um…I'm sorry to intrude, but would it be okay if I stayed by you a couple of days? I'm…I'm not sure if I can stay here this weekend."

"Of course, Annabeth. You're welcome here at any time, you know that."

"Thank you…I'll be seeing you in about two hours."

"Maybe more dear. It may be summer, but the traffic is always terrible in New York."

Annabeth cracked a smile, "Yes, ma'am."

"Sally, Annabeth."

"Thanks you, Sally." She said before cutting the connection.

After leaving her cabin, she took on last look out at the camp before walking up to the hill. Argus was already there waiting for her, perhaps Chiron had told him to wait for her. She released a breath that she hadn't even known she had been holding.

Yes, it would be nice to leave this place…at least for now. Everyone already knew that it cause her nothing but sorrow ever since he was gone.

* * *

The Jackson residence was still as cozy as ever. When Annabeth entered the small apartment, she could see that nothing had really changed. It was almost as if time had stopped here and refused to move forward. And that was just what she wanted. A place that didn't remind her that time was moving on. A place where she could simply breathe and not have to worry about dealing with the next day.

"Make yourself at home." Sally said cheerfully.

"Thanks." Annabeth dropped her bad on the chair and plopped on the couch next to it. Finally, she was able to take a second to relax. She hadn't realized how tense she had been until she allowed herself to unwind at that very moment. She made a mental note to always ask for June off from Chiron; this much stress couldn't be good for her.

"You never gave me an answer earlier." Ms. Jackson said as she closed the door.

"Huh? What answer?"

"Annabeth. I've been a mother. I know when children are hurting. I look at you and I see the daughter I never had. Now please, tell me, what's wrong? It's not normal for you to just leave camp at a moment's notice."

"I'm…I'm not doing too well." Annabeth sighed. The freeness was gone and was being overtaken by grief, "I thought I would be okay…but I'm not. I know I should be grateful. I mean we defeated Gaia and the world is safe. I'm out of Tartarus…but…"

Annabeth noticed that Ms. Jackson had taken a seat next to her, "He's still down there. And I don't even know is he's alive or not. All I can do is sit here and hope for the best. Hope that he finds another way out. Hope that he's not dead already."

Annabeth turned her eyes to meet Sally's, "I'm sorry. It's my fault your son is down there. It's my fault that I never saw Arachne's web or cut it off before I fell. It's my fault he had to save me. It's my fault that he's lost in Tartarus. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me. I would hate myself too."

"No. Annabeth, I don't hate you." Ms. Jackson said as she hugged the almost eighteen year old girl, "None of this is your fault. He did what he did because he loves you. If he allowed you to fall into that pit by yourself, he would hate himself for the rest of his life. That only would have killed him."

Annabeth sniffed, trying desperately to hold back her tears. It was times like these where she cursed her selfish pride. He was the only person who she allowed herself to be as weak as could be. Anyone else, and she instantly put up a guard. But among her own inner turmoil, she realized something important in what Sally had just said, "You said loves."

"I don't take much enthusiasm in using the present tense, but yes. I believe he's still alive."

"But there were…I mean…you wouldn't believe how many monsters are down there."

"Yes, but if the Fates wanted Percy dead, then wouldn't they have killed him already?"

Annabeth went silent. She couldn't really fault that logic. Percy had many, many opportunities to be killed. In a strange way, it seemed as if the Fates loved seeing just how much strife they could put in his life and drag him through.

"It's not pleasant believing that Percy is fighting for his life, but it's a small comfort I take. It helps me to just keep going; knowing that one day, he'll come back home." Sally turned her head down to the girl in her arms, "Tell you what. I'm going to take you somewhere tonight. We won't stay long, but I think it would be good for you."

She trusted her. Sally wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Annabeth looked up and nodded. Tonight would be a mini girls' night out.

* * *

Update: Monday


	2. Chapter 2

"Sally, what is this place?" Annabeth asked as the car finally rolled up to a stop.

"Montauk, New York. This was Percy's favorite beach in all of New York." Sally said.

"Why would you bring me here?"

"Annabeth, when was the last time you ever said his name?"

Silence.

"Dear, you need to start moving on." Annabeth whipped her head around and gave Sally a look of disbelief, "Bad phrasing. I'm saying that you need to get out of this hole. Even when we talked last Christmas, you were so sad. You barely even spoke to me that night. You don't seem to be much better now. I thought…I thought maybe taking you here would allow you to open up. To let go of all this pain you've been holding inside of you for the past year."

Annabeth was quiet. Did Sally really care about her this much? Annabeth looked at her for a while before finally exiting the car, "I'll be back."

And with that, she walked out onto the beach.

* * *

After walking out, Annabeth could see why he loved this place so much. It was beautiful. The cool sea breeze blew along the beach; but the stars, those she could see anyway, gave off a nice illumination. Annabeth merely stared off into the sea. Sally was right…she needed to face this. She took a breath and thought of the one name she had been trying to avoid for a whole year.

'_Percy.'_

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to not let any tears escape from her eyes. Even thought he had been gone for a year, she still hadn't been able to say or even think his name without crying. She had barely gotten over hearing his name in conversation.

The logical side of her told her to get over it. Too move with her life while she still had the chance. But if it was one thing Annabeth knew, it was that love wasn't logical. Yes, even after a year, Annabeth still loved the Hero of Olympus, heck, the Hero of the World, Perseus Jackson.

Despite the constant nagging of her mother to find someone else, Annabeth could never bring herself to love another the same way she loved Percy. She couldn't describe it other than feeling utter guilt for betraying the one she truly loved. Annabeth knelt down on the ground. The beach sand felt warm on her skin; but, to her, she felt utterly cold. A dark feeling enclosed around her heart as the memory of her love's death once again resurfaced from the suppressed part in her brain.

* * *

"_Come on! We have to go now!" Annabeth yelled._

_She and Percy ran to the Doors of Death. Up close, the obsidian doors radiated with power. Both demigods felt their breath shorten, not because of its magnificence but because of its sheer power. To Annabeth, it felt as though she was repeatedly getting the wind knocked out of her. Annabeth struggled to fight back the memory of holding the sky during her captured state all those years ago. This was no time to recall painful pasts, especially when those experiences could be magnified to an untold degree if they did not close the doors._

_Annabeth looked back at Percy. His clothes were slashed. His eyes sunken and their brilliant shine gone. Annabeth had missed their glow in Tartarus. Despite his resolve, Percy had become somewhat broken in Tarturus. His laugh came out as a more forced response, whenever he ever did laugh._

_Annabeth sighed to herself. She knew she must have not looked much better. However, all she could do was hope that the two of them could hopefully return back to their "normal" life. Maybe she would even take him up on his offer and move to New Rome. _

_Both demigods nodded to each other. They were going to get the job done. Annabeth just prayed that it wouldn't take one of their lives in the process._

"_Percy! Annabeth!" a voice cried out to the two tortured souls. It was Piper! Annabeth had never been happier to see a daughter of Aphrodite in all of her life. Heck, she would even take seeing Clarisse at this point._

_As both parties approached their side of the door, the sounds of monsters approaching their positions echoed around them. Percy and Annabeth had lost track of the monsters that they had encountered during their time in the deepest parts of hell. Sometimes, it was amazing that they even were able to escape some of their more deadly experiences. But even through it all, they were still alive and still together._

_When she pushed against the black, cold door, Annabeth felt the weight of the doors' power even more so than she did before. She cracked her eyes open and saw her beloved also struggle to close his side of the door. Even though she couldn't see them, she could her Jason and Nico fighting to keep the monsters away from Piper and Leo so that they could close their part of the doors as well. After what felt like hours, they had finally managed to almost close the doors completely. There was now just enough room for a human to squeeze through._

_This was the part she had been dreading. She had been thinking for so long how could they close the doors and still remain together. But the cold truth was that it was impossible. One or both of them would have to stay behind. She turned to Percy and both nodded. They had talked about this predicament many times, but they had decided that neither would want to condemn the other to a place like this willingly. _

_So, they would both stay. Oddly enough, Annabeth was okay with this. Just as long as she had Percy with her, she knew that she would be okay._

_As she turned back to finish the job, she felt the hairs on the back of her head rise. She jumped out of the way just in time to barely dodge a spider string that was heading straight for her. She turned to see none other than Arachne smiling at her. As Annabeth prepared for fight, she realized that the spider monster was breathing just as hard as she was. Maybe with the doors so close to closing, the power of the doors was affecting everything around it. Maybe that's why it took a god to open them in the first place?_

_As Annabeth devised a plan, she noticed that that she seemed to be shrinking. Annabeth looked down to see her feet beginning to sink. Gaea. She was trying to take her, take them both down to be sacrificed to her._

_Time slowed down for her. Arachne slashed at her. A cut formed across her torso as she screamed in pain. Even though the earth goddess was trying to take her, the spider still wanted its revenge, still wanted her dead. _

_As blood began to spill out, she heard Percy yell out in rage. Despite her blurred vision, she saw Percy pull himself out of his just forming quicksand trap and charge the spider woman. He had fought the creature too many times to allow her the victory of killing Annabeth now. Outmatched in fighting skill and with Percy completely enraged about her actions, Arachne was turned into dust in seconds. But she was reforming rather quickly._

_Percy reached for Annabeth and pulled her out of her quicksand trap. She had felt as though her arm was almost pulled out of its socket by the time he got her out. Her body ached because of the newly formed wound and the constant attacks they had to face. She felt the cold hard ground underneath her feet. She looked down and realized that she had lost her shoes in the process. Despite her attempts to stay strong, she felt herself lean on Percy. That swipe had been a painful one. She would need ambrosia and nectar soon or…she was going to die. Percy was about to rip his shirt when she shook her head._

"_No time." She breathed, "Need to finish this now."_

_Annabeth forced herself to her side of the door, ready to finish what she had started, when she was flipped around and kissed by Percy. In it was love, but also some kind of finality. Almost as if…oh no. He wouldn't. _

_Percy gently pushed her towards the small crack they needed to close. She saw the sadness and regret in his eyes. Caught off-guard, Annabeth stood there confused as to Percy's rash actions. Then she heard Percy say the last two words he would ever tell her._

"_I'm sorry." And with that, Percy took a few steps back and struck Riptide into the ground. The world went in slow motion for Annabeth; so much so that she could see the awkward angle the blade was coming down in. _

_All blades had a weak spot. The best swords had weak points so hard to find that only the wielder and the creator of the weapon could possible know where it was. Percy knew Riptide's. And that little fact made Annabeth's mind almost shatter as she saw the blade break into pieces. Water flowed from the blade's impact point and Annabeth was flooded out through the Doors of Death and out of Tarturus. However, as she made it out to the other side, she heard the doors closed swiftly behind her. The water's pressure had closed the Doors of Death on Tartarus's side. _

_Despite being slammed with water, Piper and Leo managed to close mere seconds after Annabeth had been swamped out. As the doors closed, all the monsters in the vicinity disintegrated into dust. _

_Annabeth sputtered and looked around. She felt hot tears come to her eyes as she scanned the surrounding area. All she saw was Piper and Leo, both soaked from the wave that had pushed Annabeth out, and a confused Jason and Nico. No Percy in sight. And that was when she snapped._

* * *

Percy had saved her yet again. And now he was gone. Ripped away from her yet again. Only this time, he had done it. It wasn't that deranged goddess, Hera, messing with her life. It had been Percy himself. He had spared her…and now separated himself from her. She had tried multiple times to try and organize quests to go there and save his life, but no one allowed it. Her cabin had even taken shifts in the first few months making sure that she didn't try to sneak off by herself.

Annabeth wrapped her arms around herself as she finally allowed tears to come down her face. She couldn't take it anymore. Being strong. Having to play leader. Having to pretend that nothing was wrong when on the inside all she wanted to do was scream. She was spent. She pushed hands in her face and wailed. Percy was gone and there was no one who could ever replace that hole she felt inside her heart.

* * *

When Annabeth walked back to the car, Sally had been sound asleep. Of course that mean that she had locked the car door. Annabeth knocked on the windshield, thus waking her up.

"Oh, I'm sorry Annabeth." She said as the blond hair girl climbed in.

"It's alright…Sally, thank you. You were right. I needed to come here." Annabeth said turning to her, not caring that he face was streaked with tears, that her eyes were puffy, or that her voice was scratchy from the crying.

"You're welcome. Like I said, you pretty much a daughter to me. And until Percy comes back, someone has to take care of you."

Annabeth let out a small laugh, "I can still stay over the weekend?"

"Of course, but there is the question of where do you want to sleep."

Annabeth thought for a while as Sally turned on the engine. But she finally made her choice; and though it would hurt, it would be for the better, "I'll take his room."

* * *

So, that's Blade of Sorrow Remastered folks! Blade of Vengeance Remastered will be out this Friday! I can let you know that it is the same chapter length as the original. However, the story itself has increased in length (for all my remasterings, each chapter will be increased to the late 1900s-2000s in word length. Most of them are only about 1000-1300 in the original.) Hope to see you all again!


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